NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals captain
Sanju Samson
attributed their loss and subsequent exit from the IPL 2024 to Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper
Pat Cummins
's strategic decision to introduce spin in the middle overs.
The Royals were outplayed by SRH at
Chepauk
, losing crucial wickets to spinners Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhishek Sharma.
Throughout the tournament, SRH had leaned heavily on their pace attack.
However, Cummins's tactical shift to spin on the spinning Chepauk pitch turned the game in SRH's favor. The spin duo claimed five wickets, dismantling the Royals' batting lineup.
"It was a big game. I am really proud of the way we bowled in the first innings. We were found short of options in the middle overs against their spin, that's where we lost the game," Samson remarked post-match.
Rajasthan, having won the toss, chose to bowl first with the expectation that dew would play a role in the second innings. However, the dew never materialized, making SRH's defense of their 176-run total more manageable. The pitch's turn and grip further compounded the Royals' problems.
"It's very hard to guess actually when we are expecting some dew or when we are not. The wicket started behaving differently in the second innings, the ball started turning a bit, they used that advantage really well. They bowled their spin in the middle overs against our right-handed batsmen, that's where they were one-up against us," explained Samson.
Reflecting on their approach to handling the spinners, Samson noted the need for better footwork and shot selection.
"Against their left-arm spin, when the ball was stopping, we could have tried a bit more reverse-sweep or maybe the use of the crease a bit more. They also bowled really well," he added.
With this victory, Sunrisers Hyderabad advanced to the final, where they will face Kolkata Knight Riders at Chepauk on Sunday.
(With inputs from ANI)
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